Lever actuated operating mechanism for spout closures



Nov. 13, 195 w. A. LEBUS 2,574,876

LEVER ACTUATED OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SPOUT CLOSURES Filed Oct. 23,1947 MZZZdmA Zgfias Patented Nov. 13, 1951 1;:-

r ti n FOR" SPOUT CLOSURES william udnllebus, Chicago,1ll., assignor toThe .-Protectseal Gompany, Chicago, 111., a. corpo- 'A plicat o neithr-23, 1947, Serial No. 781,545 ,.,s.o1aim s.- (01.222473) a Thisinvention relates to operating mechanism for spout closures of cans,andits principal object is .to provide a spring actuated-closure for thespout, of which the spring tightlyseats the clo- "sure on the spout, butits force is overcome somewhat when the closure operating means has been'fcombination of parts hereinafter fully described and more definitely:claims. l.

The invention is clearly illustrated hr the accompanying drawing,in'whichp v Fig. 1 is a plan of a can equippediwith a spout pointed .outin the appended closure operating mechanismembodyinga simple I 5 dormof. the present invention; r f Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof withthepan Jpartly :broken' away andipartly brokeniout to show :a flame.arrester that is located'within the can; i .Fig. .3 is a cross sectiontaken on the line3'-3 :aof Fig. 2; and 1 V s-...:Fig. 4 is axdetailsection-taken on .line "4-1 of Fig.2. U V Referring to said drawingwhich is merely'illus- 'trative of one embodiment of :the iinventiom thereferencecharacter 5 designates a canof .conventional form having adome-shaped'top- '6, from which projects a spout 1, through which thecan may be filled, and from which the contents may be poured out. Thespout is welded orotherwise secured to the can top 6, and fromithe lowerend of the spout leads 'aiifiame arr'ester 8, as is customary for canshandling hazardous liquids.

Riveted, welded or otherwise secured to the "can top is the base 9of ahandleJfl whicheomprises the base, and two upright 'legsijl'l: connectedat their upper ends by a handle grip l2. Lugs l3 projecttoward the spoutfrom the legs H and support a closure operating lever ll'ip'ivotallyconnected to the lugs "ll-as by rivets l li or --their equivalents. Theends =-or the arms l lb -of "the lever-are connected by a 'bar 16,fofin'edinte- ,Pivotally mounted on a pair of ears [9, weldd orotherwisesecured to the spout, is a closure carrying member zfl which carriestheclosure .2 I. If: desired, the closure carrying member may he inthe formof a metal stamping, or it may be constructed of cast metal. The closurecarrying -me'mber is of L-shape and is generally U-shaped incross:section. .Itslonger arm 22 has a domeshaped end23, in which is.pivotally mounted, as by aicotter pin 24, a stud 25 to which theclosure 21 1 is secured. The closure may comprise a Ilangeddisc-likebacking 26, in which is held a :gas treated washer 27, a disc 29 whichbears against the washer and. a screw 28 which extends through the discand washer and is threaded in the stud and seats the washer'on thebacking 26.

The other arms 22a of the closure carrying member are pivotally mountedupon the ears 19 as by a headed pin 30, which extends through the arms22a. and through the cars 19. A spring 31 having two coils that surroundthe pin 30 and terminate in arms 33, 33a. that bear respectively againstthe side of the spout and against the lower edge of the wall 20 of theclosure carrying member functions to tightly hold the closure in itsclosed position on the spout.

A pair of links 34 connect the lugs H of the lever M with the closurecarrying member 20 as at 35. The closure actuating lever is in thenature of the lever of the first order with the links 34 connected tothe shorter arms lb of the lever.

' The lever I4 and links providea toggle joint, andwhen the lever ismoved to the position seen in Fig. 3, the pivot connections between thelugs Fl -oi the lever and the links 34 approach'the dead "center betweenthe pivot l5 of the lever and'the pivot connections 35 between the linksand closure carrying member, giving the lever an enormous mechanicaladvantage against the spring. Toactuate the closure operating mechanism,

ithe'attendant places the palm of his hand upon "be 'un'derstood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangemern'. tion ofparts herein shown and mentioned.

and combinadescribed or uses closure therefor, a ivotally mountedclosure car-:

rying member, a spring functioning to urge the, closure carrying memberto the'closed' position, I

of the closure and linkage pivotally connected to the lever and to theclosure carrying member-I017 transmitting movement 0f-said lever whenthe hand grip thereon is moved toward the handle grip to said closurecarrying member in a direction operative to move the closure to ansition.

2. In operating mechanism for spout closures,

:aIcan handle having a handle grip, alever fulcrumedintermediate itsends on said handle be- .low said handle grip .and having a hand gripadjacent one end paralleling said handle .grip

and movable toward andsaway from said handle grip, a spout adjacent theother end of said lever,

a closure therefor, a closure carrying member fulcrumed on said spout, aspring having arms engaging said spout and said closurecarrying memberand functioning to urge the closure carrying member to theclosedpositionof the closure. and

linkage pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the lever and to theclosure carrying member for transmitting movement of said lever when thehand grip thereon is moved toward the handle griptosaid closure carryingmember in a direction operative to move the closure to an open position.

3. In operating mechanism for spout closures, a can handle having twospaced legs and a hand grip connecting said legs, a lever having twolever arms fulcrumed upon said legs and connected at one end by a handgrip paralleling said handle grip and adapted to be manually movedtowards said handle grip, a spout, a closure therefor, a closurecarrying member pivoted on anaxis paralleling the axis of the lever, s,spring engaging said closure carrying member and adapted to urge thelatter toward the closed position of the closure, and linkage pivotallyconnectedito the'leve'r and to the closure carrying member and formingwith said lever a toggle joint. I 4. In operating mechanism-for spoutclosures a can handle having two spaced legsand a hand I grip'conne'cting'said legs, a lever having two lever arms fulcrumed uponsaidlegs and connected at one end'by a hand grip paralleling said handlegrip and adapted to be manually moved towards said handle grip, a spout,a closure therefor, a

"closure carryingmember pivoted on said spout therefrom and a handlegrip connecting said legs,

a lever having two lever arms fulcrumed 'upon said legs and connectedatone end by a hand op m,-

4 grip paralleling said handle grip, a bar connecting the other ends ofsaid lever arms, lugs projecting from said bar, a spout, a closuretherefor, a pivotally mounted closure carrying member pivoted on an axisparalleling the axis of the lever, a spring engaging said closurecarrying member and adapted'to urge the latter toward the closedposition of the closure, andlinkage between the lugs of said lever andthe closure carrying member forming with said lever a toggle joint.

6. In operating mechanism for spout closures, "'a can handle having abase, two spaced legs rising therefrom and a handle grip connecting saidlegs, a-lever having two lever arms fulcrumed upon said legs andconnected at one end by a hand gripparalleling said handle grip, a barconnecting theother ends of said lever arms, lugs projecting from saidbar, a's pout, a closure therefor, a

closurecarrying member pivoted on said spout on an axis parallelingj-theaxis of the lever, a coiled spring having arms engagingsaid spoutand-said closure carrying member and adapted .to, urge the lattertowardthe closed position of the closure, and linkage between the lugs of saidlever and the closure-carrying member forming with said lever a togglejoint.

7. In operating mechanism for spout closures fora can having a handle, aspout,. a lever, one end of which is positioned adjacent the spout,support means formed as the handle and having lugs extendingtoward thespout forsupporting said lever for movement about afixed axis of thelugs relative tosaid spout, said axis being positioned intermediatetheqends of said lever, a closure structure for, saidspout spring biasedto closed positionxand movable relative to the spout to cover orvuncover'the spout, andrlink means pivotally connecting .saidiclosurestructure and adjacent, end of said, lever-for transmitting movement ofthe endofsaid lever. to said closure structure to move the closurestructure to an open position. v

8. In operating mechanism for spout closures, 'a:spout, "a lever, oneend of.which is positioned adjacent the spout, means for supporting saidlever for movement about a fixed axis relative to :said spout, said axisbeingpositioned intermediate the endsof said lever, said lever havingahand gripthereon adjacent the otherv end thereof, a handle-fixedrelative to said axis and positioned adjacent the hand grip on saidlever, a closure structure fOI'iSflldSPOllt movable relative to thespout to cover or uncover the same, linkmeans pivotally connected to theclosure structure and to said lever .thereby said'link means operativelyconnecting said closure structure and said end of "lever adjacent thespout for transmitting movement of the lever to said closure structureto move the closure structure to an open position when the .hand grip onsaid lever is moved to- .ward said handle. V v

I WILLIAM A. LEBUS.-

' REFERENCES CITED The'following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,241,511 Hansen Oct. 2, 19171,954,983 Brown Apr. 17, 1934 v2,147,230 'Anschicks Feb. 14, 1939

